Locking system

ABSTRACT

A linking system includes a machine body having an inside support frame and a hinged front cover panel with a locating bar, a retaining bar shaped like an open end spanner and pivotally mounted inside the machine body and having a push block at the bottom side, a spring member mounted inside the machine body for biasing the retaining bar from an unlocking position to a locking position for securing the locating bar to lock the front cover panel in the close position, and a lock cylinder mounted on one side of the machine body and having a swivel bar rotatable with a predetermined key to move the push block, releasing the locating bar from the retaining bar and allowing the front cover panel to be automatically opened.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates a lock arrangement and more particularly, to a locking system for use in a numbering or menu machine for locking/unlocking a hinged front cover panel through a lock-controlled linking mechanism.

2. Description of the Related Art

Following fast development of computer electronic technology, advanced desktop and notebook computers and many other electronic products have been created to help enterprise digitalization. Nowadays, many restaurants use a menu machine instead of handwriting, avoiding human error and facilitating calculation of charges and accounting. Further, different numbering machines are intensively used in banks, post offices and many places so that people requiring a service need not to wait in a queue. A menu machine or numbering machine has a paper roll loaded therein. When the paper roll is used up, a new supply is necessary. At this time, the worker must open the front cover panel of the machine, for the loading of a new paper roll. According to conventional designs, the worker needs to insert the finger into the front gap and pull the front cover panel outwards from the close position to the open position when unlocked the lock. This arrangement has drawbacks as follows:

1. The gap between the housing of the machine and the front cover panel is quite narrow, the finger may be injured accidentally when opening the front cover panel.

2. When a repair or maintenance work is necessary, the front cover panel must be opened or detached from the housing. When installing the front cover panel after a repair work, the alignment of the front cover panel must be accurately checked.

3. When the lock is unlocked, the worker must press a switch so that the front cover panel can be opened. This opening procedure is complicated.

Therefore, it is desirable to provide a locking system for menu or numbering machine that eliminates the aforesaid drawbacks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is one object of the present invention to provide a locking system for numbering machine or menu machine, which uses a lock cylinder-controlled linking mechanism to lock a front cover panel in the close position, allowing the front cover panel to be automatically opened when the swivel bar of the lock cylinder is reversed.

To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, the locking system comprises a machine body, a linking mechanism and a lock cylinder. The machine body comprises a bottom panel, a support frame fixedly provided at the top side of the bottom panel, a cover shell supported on the support frame and covering the bottom panel, and a front cover panel hinged to the bottom panel and biasable between a close position and an open position. The front cover panel has a locating bar fixedly provided at the back side. The linking mechanism comprises a retaining bar pivotally mounted on the support frame and biasable between a locking position and an unlocking position and having a retaining notch for securing the locating bar to lock the front cover panel in the close position, a push block downwardly extending from the retaining bar, and a spring member connected between the retaining bar and the support frame and adapted for biasing the retaining bar toward the locking position to force the retaining notch into engagement with the locating bar. The lock cylinder is mounted on one side of the cover shell, comprising a swivel bar stopped at one side of the push block and rotatable with a predetermined key to bias the retaining bar from the locking position to the unlocking position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 corresponds to FIG. 1, showing the front cover panel opened.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the front cover panel opened.

FIG. 4 is a sectional side view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the front cover panel closed.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a part of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the front cover panel closed.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a part of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the front cover panel opened.

FIG. 7 is a sectional side view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the front cover panel opened.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1˜4, a locking system in accordance with the present invention is shown comprised of a machine body 1, a linking mechanism 2 and a lock cylinder 3.

The machine body 1 comprises a bottom panel 11, a support frame 12 mounted on the bottom panel 11 at one lateral side, a cover shell 14 covered on the bottom panel 11 and supported on the support frame 12, a front cover panel 13 hinged to the front side of the bottom panel 11 and biasable between a close position and an open position (spring means is provided to impart a biasing force to the front cover panel 13, forcing the front cover panel 13 from the close position to the open position), and a locating bar 131 transversely provided at the inner (back) side of the front cover panel 13, a printer 112 affixed to the inside of the cover shell 14 at the top and disposed near the front cover panel 13, and a paper roll 111 pivotally mounted on the bottom panel 11 below the printer 112. The leading end of the paper of the paper roll 111 is inserted through (the input slot and the output slot of) the printer 112 for printing.

The linking mechanism 2 is comprised of a retaining bar 21, a pin 22, a spring member 24 and a push block 25. The retaining bar 21 is shaped like an open end spanner, having a 270 degrees C-shaped retaining notch 23. The pin 22 is fixedly provided at one side of the retaining bar 21. The push block 25 extends from the bottom side of the retaining bar 21.

The lock cylinder 3 comprises a keyhole 31, a core 32 and a swivel bar 33. By means of inserting a key (not shown) into the keyhole 31 to rotate the core 32, the swivel bar 33 is biased between two positions.

Referring to FIGS. 1˜4 again, during installation, the pin 22 is pivotally connected to the support frame 12, the spring member 24 is connected between the 270 degrees C-shaped retaining notch 23 of the retaining bar 21 and the support frame 12 to impart a biasing force to the retaining bar 21, and the lock cylinder 3 is mounted in one side of the cover shell 14. According to this embodiment, the spring member 24 has a V-shaped profile. When the front cover panel 13 is in the close position, the locating bar 131 is kept secured to the 270 degrees C-shaped retaining notch 23 of the retaining bar 21, and the swivel bar 33 is stopped against the push block 25.

Referring to FIGS. 5˜7 and FIG. 4 again, when wishing to open the front cover panel 13, insert a key into the keyhole 31 of the lock cylinder 3, and then rotate the key to bias the swivel bar 33 in the counter-clockwise to bias the swivel bar 33, causing the swivel bar 33 to bias the push block 25. At this time, the retaining bar 21 is biased with the push block 25 relative to the support frame 12 to such a position that the locating bar 131 is released from the constraint of the 270 degrees C-shaped retaining notch 23 of the retaining bar 21, and therefore the front cover panel 13 is automatically forced outwards by the respective spring means from the close position to the open position (the arrangement of this spring means is of the known design, no further detailed description, illustration is necessary). When the front cover panel 13 is opened, a user can replace the paper roll 111.

When wishing to close the front cover panel 13, push the front cover panel 13 from the open position to the close position directly with the hand, and then insert the key into the keyhole 31 and rotate the key to reverse the swivel bar 33, allowing the spring member 24 to return the retaining bar 21, forcing the 270 degrees C-shaped retaining notch 23 of the retaining bar 21 into engagement with the locating bar 131, and therefore the front cover panel 13 is locked in the close position.

As stated above, the locking system of the present invention comprises a machine body 1, which comprises a bottom panel 11, a support frame 12 provided at the top side of the bottom panel 11, a cover shell 14 covering the bottom panel 11, and a front cover panel 13 hinged to the front side of the bottom panel 11 and provided with a locating bar 131, a lock cylinder 3 mounted on one lateral side of the cover shell 14, and a linking mechanism 2 pivotally supported on the support frame 12 and controllable by the lock cylinder 3 for securing the locating bar 131 to lock the front cover panel 13 in the close position. According to the present invention, the machine body 1 can be a numbering machine or menu machine.

In general, the invention provides a locking system, which has the following features and advantages:

1. By means of operating the lock cylinder 3 to move the retaining bar 21 of the linking mechanism 2, the front cover panel 13 is rapidly and automatically opened.

2. When the swivel bar 33 of the lock cylinder 3 is returned to its former position, after closing of the front cover panel 13, the spring member 24 automatically returns the retaining bar 21, forcing the 270 degrees C-shaped retaining notch 23 of the retaining bar 21 into engagement with the locating bar 131, and therefore the front cover panel 13 is locked in the close position.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims. 

1. A locking system, comprising: a machine body, said machine body comprising a bottom panel, a support frame fixedly provided at a top side of said bottom panel, a cover shell supported on said support frame and covering said bottom panel, and a front cover panel hinged to said bottom panel and biasable between a close position and an open position, said front cover panel having a locating bar fixedly provided at a back side thereof; a linking mechanism, said linking mechanism comprising a retaining bar pivotally mounted on said support frame and biasable between a locking position and an unlocking position, said retaining bar having a retaining notch for securing said locating bar to lock said front cover panel in said close position, a push block extending from said retaining bar, and a spring member connected between said retaining bar and said support frame and adapted for biasing said retaining bar toward said locking position to force said retaining notch into engagement with said locating bar; and a lock cylinder mounted on one side of said cover shell, said lock cylinder comprising a swivel bar stopped at one side of said push block and rotatable with a predetermined key to bias said retaining bar from said locking position to said unlocking position.
 2. The linking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said machine body comprises a paper roll pivotally supported on said bottom panel, and a printer mounted inside said cover shell and adapted for printing said paper roll.
 3. The locking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said retaining bar has the shape of an open end spanner.
 4. The locking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said spring member has a V-shaped profile. 